Amy Schumer is about to make her Broadway debut

The comedian will star in Steve Martin's new play, "Meteor Shower"

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August 7, 2017 5:21PM (UTC)

Love her as you may or hate her as you might, there's little debating the fact that comedian Amy Schumer commands whatever stage or screen she appears on. Now, Schumer is taking that uncanny — and sometimes controversial — ability to Broadway.

This morning, The New York Times reported that Schumer has been tapped for a lead role in the Broadway production of actor, comedian and writer Steve Martin's new comedic drama "Meteor Shower."

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Scheduled for a November premiere at the Booth Theater — former home to "Sunday in the Park with George," "The Elephant Man" and "I'm Not Rappaport" — the production will mark Schumer's first onstage role of this kind. She will star alongside Laura Benanti (who won a Tony for “Gypsy” and appears on TV in "Supergirl"), Keegan-Michael Key (of "Key and Peele" fame) and Alan Tudyk (of “Firefly” and "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"). Key will also be making his Broadway debut after a successful run on the Public Theater's current production of "Hamlet."

The play itself is somewhat of a chamber piece wherein one couple invites another over to watch a meteor shower, only for the night to devolve into an eruption of long-suppressed dark desires, cannibalism among them. Previously, the show made the rounds at regional theaters in Long Wharf, Connecticut and San Diego, California to decidedly mixed reviews. Jenna Fischer of "The Office" originated Schumer's role. "The Meteor Shower" is the fourth of Martin's works for stage. Both "Bright Star" and "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" had runs in New York to varying degrees of success.

The production marks somewhat of a turn in Schumer's recent schedule. After the end of her highly successful Comedy Central show "Inside Amy Schumer," the comedian embarked on not only a series of international stadium tours, but a big-budget Hollywood career. Her 2015 film "Trainwreck" was a critical and financial triumph. This year's "Snatched" was not. Future projects include "I Feel Pretty" from Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein, but the rehearsals and performance run of "The Meteor Shower" should give the constantly working performer a break from the touring grind.

Whatever the case, all eyes will be on Broadway newcomer Schumer when she takes the stage. Critics get your pens out.

Gabriel Bell

Gabriel Bell is Salon's Deputy Culture Editor. Follow him on Twitter at @GabrielJBell